Eyewitness

Chapter Five

“We’re going to pick up my friend Kieran, and he’s going to come with us when we visit Dr. Elena.” Devon’s eyes met Michael’s in the rearview mirror. “You liked Kieran, didn’t you?”

“I hit him.” Michael pummeled an imaginary foe with his small fists.

“I know you did.” She wagged a finger at his reflection. “The only reason you didn’t get in trouble for that is because you thought you were protecting me. You don’t have to protect me against Kieran. He’s a good guy.”

“He has a pirate patch.”

“That’s because he hurt his eye fighting bad guys.”

“Bad guys?”

Michael’s face crumpled and Devon bit her lip. She’d had just about the best conversation going with Michael in weeks, and she had to bring up bad guys. Had someone from the building talked a little too loudly about Mrs. Del Vecchio’s murder? Michael never used to be afraid of bad guys.

Just like his dad.

“There are no bad guys anymore.”

Michael responded by gazing out the window, his eyebrows drawn over his nose.

If anyone could get to the bottom of Michael’s trauma, Elena could. She wasn’t sure about Elena hypnotizing Michael but if she thought it would help, Devon just might allow it. She wanted her son back, and then they could work on building a family with Kieran.

Maybe Michael’s skittishness was scaring off Kieran. If she’d presented him with a well-adjusted, uncomplicated boy would Kieran accept his role of fatherhood more readily? If that were the case, she didn’t want him in Michael’s life. Loving a child was all about taking the good with the bad.

Nothing like bad timing.

She cruised past Columbella House and Michael jabbed the window. “Columbella.”

“That’s right. We’ll explore the beach again down there, but you have to promise not to climb up through the sea cave.”

She pulled into the Roarkes’ driveway, and Kieran stepped out on the porch. Must’ve been waiting for them.

He slid into the seat beside her, smelling of soap and a hint of the sea. The scent took her back to cool nights wrapped in a blanket in the sand, snuggling against Kieran’s warm, smooth skin. Making plans. Laughing. Loving.

“Everything go okay last night?”

Devon blinked. “I called you when we got home. Everything was fine.”

“Why’d you decide to take those teens home?”

Lifting a shoulder, she backed out of the driveway. “Saved my neighbor a drive out and she brought me some squash from her garden this morning, so it’s all good.”

She could feel him studying her profile. She should probably come clean about the silver sedan she thought was following her, but she’d do it away from Michael. They had a lot of catching up to do…away from Michael.

“Where’s Dr. Estrada’s office?”

“It’s downtown. She’s on staff at the University of California at San Francisco, too, but she sees clients in this office only. She does research at the university.” She took the turn from the coast highway onto the street that led into town. “While she’s at it, she can probably recommend a good ophthalmologist in the city.”

“I’m good.”

“You don’t want to find out if…?”

“I’m good.”

She gripped the steering wheel and gritted her teeth. “Will you talk to Elena…Dr. Estrada?”

“Maybe. I’d like to see what she has to say about Michael.”

Devon pressed her lips together. That’s not what she had in mind, but she let it go. This new Kieran was not a man to be pushed around. Was he ever? She’d never tried before.

She’d changed, too. She’d had a protective father, fiancé and brother. One had died. One had been presumed dead. And one had gotten consumed by his career. She’d been left with a helpless mother and a helpless infant, and she’d had to step up to the plate. She’d become the protective one.

But now was not the time to assert her new-found strength.

They rolled onto Main Street, coming alive with tourists eating late breakfasts or browsing the antique shops, and surfers heading back into town after hitting the early-morning waves.

She turned off the main drag and parallel parked into a space on the street in front of a two-story stucco building.

“Dr. Estrada’s office is upstairs. I’ll stay with you for a little while, Michael, and then you can play with Dr. Estrada by yourself.”

Michael clutched her hand as they walked up the steps, Kieran trailing behind them. She had faith Elena could break through Michael’s barrier and ease his fears. Then Kieran could really get to know his son.

Elena shared the floor with a dentist, a financial adviser, a Realtor and an empty office. Kieran opened the outer door of Elena’s office and Devon ducked under his arm, pulling Michael with her. Elena had left the door to her inner office ajar. She was a one-woman operation with a light indicator in the reception area instead of a receptionist.

Devon tapped on the door. “Hello?”

“Hello, be right out.”

Devon stepped back from the door, and a few seconds later Elena bounded into the outer office, running a hand through her salt and pepper curls.

She enfolded Devon in a warm hug. “It’s so good to see you, Devon. How’s the nursing going?”

“It’s going great. I work with a fantastic group of doctors, and there’s nothing more satisfying than bringing babies into the world.”

“And now you have your own baby.”

Michael stared at Elena with his wide, brown eyes, and a lump formed in Devon’s throat. Normally, he’d angrily assert that he was not a baby. Now…the stare. He seemed fixated on Elena’s hair.

“Michael, this is Dr. Elena Estrada. She’s going to talk to you just like Dr. Mowry did at home.”

Elena knelt in front of Michael and took his hand to shake it. “Very nice to meet you, Michael. You can call me Dr. Elena, and you can talk to me about anything in the world.”

Michael shook her hand, his gaze floating to her head.

“Do you like my hair?” Elena shook her curls.

“Your hair is gray.”

Elena laughed. “Yes, it is. Is your grandmother’s hair gray? I know your grandmother.”

He shook his head. “My grandma’s hair isn’t gray.”

Devon snorted. “Yes, it is, but she makes sure it stays blond through artificial means.”

“Who has gray hair like mine, Michael?”

Michael dropped her hand and nestled close to Devon.

He hadn’t mentioned Mrs. Del Vecchio since the murder. He’d called her Granny Del at her suggestion. Maybe he’d tell Elena all about Granny Del and her gray hair. It was the first time he’d even come close to referring to her.

“Elena, this is Kieran Roarke. Kieran, Dr. Estrada.” Elena already knew Kieran was Michael’s father, and Devon had already told Elena in advance that Michael wasn’t in on the secret.

As they shook hands, Elena’s thin brows rose. “I know all about Mr. Roarke. It’s good to have you home, Kieran. Gary from the garage has already told half the town of your return.” She pushed open the door to her inner sanctum. “Shall we get started? Your mom and…Kieran can join us first, Michael, and then if you’re okay with it, just you and I will have a chat.”

They all squeezed into her small office, Devon and Michael claiming the comfy, floral sofa while Kieran perched on the edge of a chair across from them. Elena settled into a deep chair, cradling a steaming mug.

“We’re here to talk, Michael. You can tell me anything, and it’s private. We’re also going to play some games. How does that sound?”

He nodded.

Elena looked at Devon. “Mom, do you have any questions?”

“Do you think you might use hypnosis?”

“I don’t think so. Michael probably just needs to process some feelings he has about death and dying…and abandonment.” She shifted a glance toward Kieran.

Was that her subtle hint that she and Kieran needed to tell Michael he had a father? As Michael began to notice all the dads at the hospital day care, Devon had answered questions about his own father with vague murmurings about him being away. She’d probably done a poor job of it.

“Michael, do you want to check out the toy chest?” Elena pointed to a wooden chest in the corner, painted with brightly colored suns and flowers.

Michael shimmied off the couch and trotted toward the toy chest. He yanked it open and pulled out a squirt gun and a G.I. Joe action figure and settled cross-legged on the floor.

Elena jerked her thumb toward the door.

Devon clasped her hands between her knees. “Michael, Kieran and I are going to leave now. Is that okay? We’ll be right across the street.”

Michael looked up, his gaze darting toward Elena. Licking his lips, he put up his hand in a tentative wave.

Devon blew him a kiss from trembling lips.

When they left the office and Kieran shut the outer door behind them, Devon leaned against it and closed her eyes.

Kieran’s hand dropped to her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“It’s just so hard to watch.” She rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. “Michael has changed so much. He used to be so bubbly and friendly, so talkative and alive.”

“Like you.”

“Oh, I don’t think I’m like that…anymore.”

“That’s how I remembered you-in my dreams.”

She opened her mouth, but he grabbed her hand. “Let’s get some lunch and talk.”

Butterflies circled inside her belly. Was she ready for this? After she’d blurted out the truth about Michael’s paternity, she and Kieran hadn’t had any time alone to discuss anything. Was she ready to bare her soul?

Was he?

Kieran dropped her hand when they hit the street. When Devon needed comforting, he could use that as an excuse to touch her, to be close to her. But he didn’t want to make a habit of it. It would set them both up for heartache if he gave in to his urges.

He meandered down the sidewalk and his steps landed him in front of a large, plate-glass window with a sloppy burger and a mug of beer painted on the front. He looked up at the sign hanging over the door announcing Burgers and Brews.

Devon, lost in thought, stumbled against him and looked up at the gaily painted sign. “Your friend, Bryan Sotelo, owns this place. Are you sure you want to venture inside?”

“If Michael can talk to a stranger, so can I.”

“Bryan’s not exactly a stranger, which makes it harder for you.”

He wedged a shoulder against the door. “I came back to Coral Cove to learn about my life. Skulking around like the Phantom of the Opera isn’t going to help.”

He pushed open the door, and gestured her to enter first…not that he was holding back or anything. The breakfast crowd had thinned out, and the lunch crowd hadn’t hit full-force yet.

A guy with long hair and a tattoo snaking down his arm looked up from the long bar and smacked his palms on the gleaming surface. “Kieran Roarke. I heard a rumor you were alive.”

The man vaulted over the bar and crushed Kieran in a bear hug. Kieran returned the hug with one arm, raising an eyebrow at Devon. If he had any question about whether or not he was the hugging type, this display just answered it-he wasn’t.

“Man, you just missed Colin, but he knows, right?”

Kieran disentangled himself from the guy who had to be Bryan and stepped back. “No, Colin doesn’t know. Army didn’t want to notify anyone right away.”

“Say no more.” Bryan held up his hands. “You guys were into some deep undercover stuff. What happened to your eye?”

“Damaged.”

“Won’t stop you from hitting the waves, right, bro?”

“Probably not.”

“Bryan.” Devon tapped Bryan’s muscled biceps. “I hate to break up this homecoming, but Kieran and I have a lot to talk about.”

“I’m sure you do.” He slapped Kieran on the back. “Let’s catch up later, dude. Do you two want something to drink?”

“I’ll have a diet soda.” Devon pointed to a table in the corner. “Can we grab that table?”

“Sure. Something to drink, Kieran? I’ve got some great local brews on tap.”

“Little early for a beer, Bryan. I’ll take an iced tea.”

Devon sprinted for the table like she had a lot on her mind. He couldn’t blame her. She’d waited almost five years to tell him about Michael, and he couldn’t wait to hear about his son. Maybe if he knew more about him, he could figure out why the death of a friendly neighbor had spooked him so much.

He took a seat across from Devon, and his gaze lingered on her bright hair and rosy complexion. He felt as if he had to drink her in to sustain him for the next time they were apart.

Because he couldn’t stay with her. He wanted to work out some way he could visit Michael, but he didn’t want to be alone with the boy. He could never have him spend the night.

Bryan dropped off their drinks and a couple of straws. “Are you eating?”

They both said at the same time, “Nachos.”

“Yeah, you two always did like to share the nachos, and we make ’em even better than in my dad’s day. Extra jalapeños, right?”

When Bryan left, Devon studied Kieran as if preparing to dissect a frog in biology class. “You remembered, didn’t you?”

“You’re excited about nachos with extra jalapeños?”

She plunged her straw into her glass. “Don’t dismiss it as trivial. Every little bit is a step forward.”

Devon possessed a cheery optimism. Had it always been shored up by that layer of steel he sensed beneath the sunshine? A deadly combination-especially if he hoped to convince her that she’d be better off without him.

“Okay, what do you want to know?” She planted her elbows on the table on either side of her glass.

“I want to know all about Michael. I suppose you don’t have any baby pictures of him.”

“Are you kidding?” She dragged her big bag from the back of her chair and patted it. “I’m glad I didn’t have this purse with me yesterday.”

She pulled out some photos of a smiling, chubby baby and for the next half hour proceeded to tell Kieran all about his son.

He scooped up some salsa with the corner of a chip and paused. “He sounds like a great kid, happy, well- adjusted, so what happened? Why the trauma over the old lady’s death?”

“I don’t know. He called her Granny Del, and she’d bake him cookies and tell him stories. She was great with him. I don’t think she’d ever had kids of her own. She was a widow, but her husband was long gone before we moved into that building.”

“Does Michael have a good relationship with your mom? Maybe Granny Del was a substitute grandmother for him.”

“I suppose.” She dabbed her luscious lips with a napkin and Kieran pulled his gaze away. “He doesn’t see my mom much. After leaning on me heavily after Dad’s death, Mom packed up and moved to one of those retirement communities in Florida. We see her occasionally, but she tries to keep busy and active…to fill the emptiness from Dad’s death.”

“Your dad was the police chief of Coral Cove, wasn’t he?”

“Yes. You see. There’s another one of those trivial facts.”

“I got the feeling Dr. Estrada was blaming me in part for Michael’s trauma.” Kieran shoved the plate toward Devon, and took a long pull from his iced tea. And would finding out he had a father like him only add to the boy’s trauma? How could he possibly help Michael? That would be like the blind leading the blind-literally, in his case.

Devon shoved some chopped tomatoes around the plate with her fork. “I don’t think she’s blaming either one of us, but I do think she was implying that not having a father present may have contributed to Michael’s feelings of loss when Mrs. Del Vecchio passed away.”

“Passed away? She was murdered.”

“Yeah, well, Michael doesn’t know that-at least I don’t think he does.”

“What about the murder? Were you home when it happened?”

“Yeah, that’s the creepy part.” She hugged herself and hunched her shoulders as if shivering. “It happened mid-morning. I was doing laundry and I found the body.”

Kieran dropped his napkin on the table. “You’re kidding me.”

“Nope.”

“Did you hear anything? See anything?”

“I heard noise from her apartment. It must’ve been a thump against the wall or something since she lives right below me. That’s why I decided to check up on her after I put my laundry in. While I was in the laundry room, someone slammed the door. The cops think it might’ve been the killer.”

His heart lurched. Devon had been in danger and he hadn’t been there to protect her. Hadn’t been there for four long years. “My God. It’s a good thing he didn’t see you or vice versa.”

“You’re telling me. It was awful enough finding Mrs. Del Vecchio’s body.”

“How was she killed?”

“The guy drowned her in the kitchen sink, like he was dunking her head in the water over and over because she had marks on her neck.”

“Brutal.” And he knew brutal. “Who would do an old lady like that? Did they rob her?”

“Her place was ransacked, but as far as I know, she didn’t have anything worth stealing.”

“Cops have any leads?”

“Not that I know of. At least they didn’t while we were still there. A Detective Marquette was working the case, and I haven’t heard from him since we got here.”

“Wow.” He tracked his fingertip through the condensation on the outside of his glass. “Maybe it was just a crime of opportunity. Her door was unlocked, and some junkie thought he could get some quick cash.”

“Maybe. I just hope Elena can get through to Michael. He hasn’t said anything to me about Granny Del since I told him she was dead.”

“Do you think Michael is going to be more upset when he learns he has a father?” Especially a father like him.

“I don’t know. He started asking questions a few years ago, and I was vague.” She drew criss-cross patterns in the plate. “Maybe somehow he figured out that his father was dead, and when Granny Del died, too, he couldn’t handle any more loss.”

Kieran’s injured eye ached and he dug the heel of his hand into his good eye as if that could stop it. He’d known coming back to this place was going to be hard, but he didn’t know it would cause gut-wrenching grief…and indescribable joy.

“Are you okay?”

He dropped his hand and adjusted his patch. “It pains me sometimes, my eye.”

“How much do you remember about us, Kieran? When I first saw you on the beach, you said you didn’t remember me but you knew me. Then you tried to back away from that. Which is it?”

This woman with her golden hair and clear blue eyes had a core of granite. If he’d expected his angel to be soft, yielding and pliant, he’d have to adjust those expectations.

“You saved my life, Devon.”

Her eyes widened. “I-I did?”

“I didn’t remember a woman, Devon Reese, but I remembered an ideal, a vision of warmth and goodness and pure happiness.”

A tear wobbled on the edge of her lashes and the tip of her nose reddened. “You’re going to be so disappointed.”

No. She was the one headed for disappointment.

He had to get off this subject of expectations and disappointments. He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Two hours is almost up. I hope she made some progress with Michael.”

“And you? Will you give her a chance to help you, too?”

“Maybe.”

“When are you going to tell your parents and Colin?”

“From what I gather, Colin is incommunicado. I’ll notify my parents when I feel comfortable in my own skin.”

As they pushed back from the table, a pretty blonde covered her mouth and squealed. “Kieran Roarke. Now I believe you’re really back.”

Kieran gripped the back of his chair and he murmured to Devon. “Who’s that?”

She whispered back. “Britt. You dated her in high school.”

Britt wasted no time in crossing the room and throwing her arms around him. He forced himself not to shrink away from the personal contact…or worse, throw Britt to the ground.

“How are you, Britt?”

“So much better now that I’ve seen you. I’m so happy you made it out alive.”

“You and me both.” He patted her shoulder awkwardly. “Devon and I have to run, but it was great seeing you. I hope we have time to catch up soon.”

She wiped a tear from her cheek and nodded. “So thrilled to have you back, Kieran. I’m working at the library now. Stop by any time.”

Wow, that Kieran Roarke must’ve been a helluva guy.

They stepped into the sunshine and Kieran blinked as Devon nudged him in the side with her elbow. “Britt was your girlfriend in high school and the head cheerleader.”

“Maybe I should’ve acted more excited to see her.”

“I think you’re doing okay. People can’t expect you to want a ticker-tape parade or anything.”

“God, I hope not.”

They strolled back to Dr. Estrada’s office, and the sun warmed Kieran’s shoulders. He took a deep breath of the tangy air. He’d missed that smell. It was in his blood…just like the woman next to him.

Before they hit the staircase, Devon jiggled the handle to the bathroom on the ground floor. “It’s locked. I wonder if Elena has a key.”

Kieran ushered her up the stairs ahead of him and watched the sway of her hips as she took each step. Every small movement of her body seemed to call out to him.

Devon slipped into the doctor’s outer office and stood by the inner office door, her fingers threaded in front of her. Kieran wanted to ease her tension in some way, to comfort her, but he couldn’t take his rightful place as Michael’s father…not yet. He slumped in a chair and leafed through a magazine.

The door swung open, and Devon jumped back. “All done?”

Dr. Estrada smiled and patted Michael’s back. “We got to know each other a little better.”

“Do you want lunch, Michael?” Devon’s smile was wide enough to split her face.

Michael nodded and cast a half smile at Dr. Estrada.

“Oh, Elena, do you have a key to the bathroom downstairs?”

“Yes, all the tenants do.” She reached into a basket on one of the tables and pulled out a big, wooden keychain. “Just bring it back.”

“Michael, do you need to use the bathroom, too?” Devon held up the key.

“Uh-huh.” Michael skipped to the front door.

Was Devon trying to leave him alone with Dr. Estrada? The woman didn’t surrender easily.

“We’ll be right back. Maybe you and Elena can get better acquainted.”

The door whispered shut behind her and Kieran stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “You know I’m Michael’s father?”

“Even before you returned, Devon had told me the identity of Michael’s father. Not the best timing, is it?”

“It would be difficult to break the news to a well- adjusted kid. Michael’s trauma makes it harder.”

“It might help Michael to gain a father right now, but let’s talk about you for a minute.”

“What did Devon tell you?”

“The basics-prisoner of war, physical torture, memory loss. Does that about sum it up?”

“In a nutshell.”

“But there’s more, isn’t there? More you’d rather not tell Devon.”

He shrugged off the question. More Devon didn’t need to know, which meant getting out of her life. “I’d like to reclaim more of my memories before contacting my family. Being here in Coral Cove has helped.”

“Have you ever been hypnotized before?”

“Not completely successfully. I was a Green Beret. We were trained to resist such tactics.”

“But if you don’t resist?” She spread her hands. “Who knows? Maybe if you go willingly, we can dig out more of your memories.”

“I’ll think about it. When is Michael’s next appointment?”

“In two days.” She pulled a card out of the pocket of her skirt, cupped it in her hand and wrote on the back. “I’ll give Devon a call later, and tell her, and you, about Michael’s progress today. I have another patient coming in, so Devon can drop the bathroom key in the basket.”

“Okay, I appreciate…”

A crash from outside made them both jump.

“What was that?” Elena ran to the window and shoved aside the blinds. “Is that smoke?”

A chill raced up Kieran’s spine. “Where?”

“It looks like it’s coming from this building…the first floor.”

Kieran charged out of the office and took the steps two at a time on his way down. He turned the corner and staggered backward, away from the black smoke billowing out of the small window of the bathroom.

The bathroom containing Devon and Michael.